Former male nurse wanted in U.S. for elder abuse found in Vancouver

A California nurse wanted for an alleged sex act on a dependent person was caught in Vancouver last week where he was caring for a disabled child.

Photograph by: Vancouver Sun files
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VANCOUVER -- A California nurse wanted for an alleged lewd act on a 98-year-old stroke victim was caught in Vancouver last week where he was caring for a disabled child.

Canadian border agents tracked down Russel Torralba Jan. 8 on a tip from U.S. Marshalls, according to a Canada Border Services Agency news release. He had been in the country since August, working illegally as a caregiver.

Torralba is wanted in California on four counts of elder neglect by a caregiver and a count of engaging in a wilful and lewd act upon a dependent person.

U.S. prosecutors alleged last month that Torralba and co-accused Alfredo Ruiz were caught on video performing sex acts involving a female stroke patient.

San Diego media outlets last year aired graphic clips of surveillance footage from 2011 that appeared to depict the accused caregivers fondling one another beside the patient's bed, sometimes touching or involving the patient herself.

The tip from American authorities put Torralba in Vancouver, where police and border agents found him caring for a disabled minor at a residence. The child was taken into the care of the Ministry of Children and Family Development after it learned of Torralba's history.

Yvette-Monique Gray, the director of CBSA's enforcement division, says Canada is working to ensure the man will face his charges.

"Canada will not be a safe haven for those who commit crimes in other countries," she said in the release.